Review by Backpackroses -- Olympian Challenger
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Backpackroses
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Review by Backpackroses -- Olympian Challenger
[Following is a volunteer review of "Olympian Challenger" by Astrid Arditi.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Olympian Challenger written by Astrid Arditi is the first book of this young adult series, capturing the world of Greek mythology through the eyes of a seventeen-year-old teenager, appropriately named Hope. The story glistened in ways that I had hoped for but also suffered from pitfalls of predictability.
Let me explain: Hope’s journey began as she became one of the receivers of a mysterious letter—It’s contents of an ambiguous nature. In an attempt to save a drowning teenager, Hope wakes up on Mount Olympus, stuck in a world where she must face trials in order to be the victor and the recipient of a wish. Having left her only family in the real world, Hope’s real true compass was getting home to care for her mother who suffered from the later stages of a cognitive illness. The premise seemed quite promising, though I do have to admit certain parts of the story lacked depth, especially with characters. Amy is another competitor on Mount Olympus, introduced as a tough girl with a strong and selfish personality. There isn’t anything wrong with this, except, she remains this way throughout the entire storytelling. With consideration that Amy is one of the main supporting characters, I would have loved to see some evolution, some convolution, in order to fulfill some sort of underdog mentality.
Other characters lay down their lives for Hope due to the underlying notion that she is the one and true hero, though I had been wondering, while reading the story, what exactly made her the most virtuous competitor. Even now, I still don’t know. The romance is predictable. Kieron and Hope have a relationship born out of impossibility. She is a human, and a righteous one at that. He is literally the opposite, a God and the antagonist’s son. They come together despite their differences. Again, I attribute the lukewarm connections to lack of depth and one-dimensional character writing.
Despite that, I would still give this book 4 out of 4 stars. Olympian Challenger is the pinnacle of young adult fantasy. It lives up to its domain. Written with a sense of wide-eyed fascination of other worldly beings, young adults can also experience this world with guilt-less naivety. The story comes together with a gorgeous cover. Very little to critique about the writing, despite its characterizations. It is simple in its telling of a grandiose journey, with descriptive metaphors on par with the whimsical nature. The scenery of the Gods’ world was beautifully crafted. No spelling or grammatical errors to be noted throughout. I would like to give praise to the author’s knowledge base of the Greek Gods and their specialties, and how they manifest on the pages.
Overall, if you enjoy a safe read within a bubble of romance and altruistic heroes, this is the story to read. I enjoyed it greatly for what it was. For those looking for a bit more complexity, there are other novels to suit your needs.
******
Olympian Challenger
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4 out of 4 stars
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Olympian Challenger written by Astrid Arditi is the first book of this young adult series, capturing the world of Greek mythology through the eyes of a seventeen-year-old teenager, appropriately named Hope. The story glistened in ways that I had hoped for but also suffered from pitfalls of predictability.
Let me explain: Hope’s journey began as she became one of the receivers of a mysterious letter—It’s contents of an ambiguous nature. In an attempt to save a drowning teenager, Hope wakes up on Mount Olympus, stuck in a world where she must face trials in order to be the victor and the recipient of a wish. Having left her only family in the real world, Hope’s real true compass was getting home to care for her mother who suffered from the later stages of a cognitive illness. The premise seemed quite promising, though I do have to admit certain parts of the story lacked depth, especially with characters. Amy is another competitor on Mount Olympus, introduced as a tough girl with a strong and selfish personality. There isn’t anything wrong with this, except, she remains this way throughout the entire storytelling. With consideration that Amy is one of the main supporting characters, I would have loved to see some evolution, some convolution, in order to fulfill some sort of underdog mentality.
Other characters lay down their lives for Hope due to the underlying notion that she is the one and true hero, though I had been wondering, while reading the story, what exactly made her the most virtuous competitor. Even now, I still don’t know. The romance is predictable. Kieron and Hope have a relationship born out of impossibility. She is a human, and a righteous one at that. He is literally the opposite, a God and the antagonist’s son. They come together despite their differences. Again, I attribute the lukewarm connections to lack of depth and one-dimensional character writing.
Despite that, I would still give this book 4 out of 4 stars. Olympian Challenger is the pinnacle of young adult fantasy. It lives up to its domain. Written with a sense of wide-eyed fascination of other worldly beings, young adults can also experience this world with guilt-less naivety. The story comes together with a gorgeous cover. Very little to critique about the writing, despite its characterizations. It is simple in its telling of a grandiose journey, with descriptive metaphors on par with the whimsical nature. The scenery of the Gods’ world was beautifully crafted. No spelling or grammatical errors to be noted throughout. I would like to give praise to the author’s knowledge base of the Greek Gods and their specialties, and how they manifest on the pages.
Overall, if you enjoy a safe read within a bubble of romance and altruistic heroes, this is the story to read. I enjoyed it greatly for what it was. For those looking for a bit more complexity, there are other novels to suit your needs.
******
Olympian Challenger
View: on Bookshelves
Like Backpackroses's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Purgatory's Angel by B Hughes-Millman
